Bonaire Elementary student wins district's spelling bee | Schools

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HOUSTON COUNTY, GA – Bonaire Elementary School fifth-grader Rebecca Kenny won the Houston County Board of Education 2014 Spelling Bee today. She was the top speller out of 28 contestants, winning with the correct spelling of the final word “alcohol.”

Mossy Creek Middle School seventh-grader Keerti Soundappan won second place. The word missed prior to Rebecca being declared the winner was “pitchblende.” Nicole Tayag, an eighth- grader at Bonaire Middle School, won third place.

Rebecca and Keerti (pictured from left) will both compete at the District 6 Spelling Bee at Fort Valley State University on Mar. 1, 2014. If for some reason Rebecca or Keerti is unable to compete in the District Bee competition, Nicole will represent her school system. The District Bee winner and runner-up will advance to the GAE State Spelling Bee, which will be held at Georgia State University in Atlanta on Mar. 21, 2014, beginning at 11:00 a.m.

The State Spelling Bee Procedures, Rules and Regulations were followed for the contest. Amy Myers, Eagle Springs Elementary speech and language pathologist, called out the words. Each school sent a Spelling Bee winner to the system competition. In addition to the top three system winners, the school-level Spelling Bee winners are:

· Iker Casillas, Centerville Elementary

· Matthew Collins, David A. Perdue Elementary

· Trent Finkler, Eagle Springs Elementary

· Brendon Mann, Feagin Mill Middle

· James Link, Hilltop Elementary

· Aaron Hodo, Huntington Middle

· Kanah Belflower, Kings Chapel Elementary

· Kennedi Key, Lake Joy Elementary

· Jaylen Jones, Lindsey Elementary

· Macy Stephenson, Linwood Elementary

· McKenzie Hanner, Matt Arthur Elementary

· Ariana Jones, Miller Elementary

· Jacob Manuel, Morningside Elementary

· Hannah Folsom, Northside Elementary

· Makenna Westberry, Northside Middle

· Chandler Williams, Parkwood Elementary

· Kentavious Morgan, Pearl Stephens Elementary

· Phoebe Guidry, Perry Middle

· Parker Durden, Quail Run Elementary

· Maja Drake, Russell Elementary

· Robert Arnold, Jr., Shirley Hills Elementary

· Michael Tinsley, Thomson Middle

· Hope Kiger, Tucker Elementary

· Andrew Francis, Warner Robins Middle

· Naijah Caldwell, Westside Elementary

The school Bee winners are pictured with Milton Sampson with the Georgia Association of Educators. Sampson began the Bee with remarks and the rules.

The local Bee has been sponsored by the Georgia Association of Educators (GAE) through the Houston Association of Educators for 53 years. GAE also sponsors the District and State Bees.

Incidentally, Rebecca won third place at last year’s system Bee. For more information, contact Nancy Richardson or Dr. Amy Fouse, Coordinators of Reading and Language Arts, at 478-988-6200.